In a sizable effort to promote inclusive gaming and accessibility to gamers with limited mobility, Microsoft has announced the Xbox Adaptive Controller. It’s fully customizable and available exclusively through the Microsoft Store. Microsoft will be showing the controller at E3 next month. It’s due to launch later this year.
The Xbox Adaptive Controller was designed as an all-in-one custom controller for a variety of gaming needs. The two distinct large face buttons can be programmed to act as any button on a standard controller using the Xbox Accessories app.
“On our journey of inclusive design, we have taken a wider view of our fans and a more inclusive approach to designing for them,” writes Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox. “The Xbox Adaptive Controller was created to address these challenges and remove barriers to gaming by being adaptable to more gamers’ needs.”
The controller has been in development for years. Microsoft partnered with many charitable organizations around the world, including those focused on disabled gamers such as AbleGamers Charity and wounded vets with Warfighter Engaged.
The Xbox Adaptive Controller will support several existing third-party devices, such as PDP’s One-Handed Joystick and Logitech’s Extreme 3D Pro Joystick.
The controller was developed in Microsoft’s Inclusive Tech Lab as part of their Gaming for Everyone initiative. You can read more about the design, development, and philosophy of the Xbox Adaptive Controller in the in-depth feature on Microsoft Story Labs.
The Xbox Adaptive Controller will launch later this year. It will be available at the Microsoft Store for $99, and will be shown at this year’s E3 expo.
